One Trick Ponies, Four Gibblets, and A Gunny
by Dixie Dewdrop
Summary: Thanks to an injury, Gunny Gibbs experiences an evening of metaphors with the four Gibblets who love him. This story is part of my Here and Now Series.
1. In Matters of Professional Opinions

In Matters of Professional Opinions

"Ducky, this gets really annoying," Jethro Gibbs complained in annoyance to the usually understanding Dr. Donald Mallard, who did not bother to even acknowledge the observation.

No, instead, he regarded the vial of painkiller in front of him, and focused upon filling the syringe he held with its contents. He leaned down and swabbed Jethro's upper arm with an alcohol pad before administering the dose.

Still extremely dissatisfied with the doctor's response, Jethro narrowed his eyes into a glare. "Really, Duck, I think by now I know when I need to rest or to seek medical treatment. You just assume for some unknown reason that I will mess it up." Throwing himself against the sofa cushions in resignation, Gibbs attempted to scowl with some credibility.

Ducky regarded him with a shake of the head, relying upon his pragmatic Scottish nature to counter his friend's petulance. "My good man, our friendship has endured far too long for me to waste my time listening to feeble arguments. You received a disturbing injury on the job this afternoon, one significant enough for your Director and me to send you home with instructions to not return to work this weekend. Having years of experience as your NCIS colleague, doctor, and personal friend, I would not dream of trusting you to look out for yourself today."

Gibbs shook his head emphatically from side to side, and realized that the medicine had begun to work. He felt groggy. "I blame you ahead of time if I get a visit from any of those crazy dreams again. You know it bothers me to have side effects like that and yet you give me some dream inducing painkiller every single time."

Smirking, Dr. Mallard declined a verbal response but motioned Jethro to lie down.

Surprisingly, Gibbs obeyed without too much objection.

The much celebrated NCIS agent met his match with the medicine.

Ducky straightened his glasses and soothed, "Dreaming of your team as your own offspring hardly qualifies as bizarre. Quite the contrary- it embodies your paternal role….."

"Why not stick to your role as a doctor," Gibbs interrupted, annoyed and beginning to feel a need to sleep from his groggy state, "instead of turning yourself into a psychiatrist, Duck?"

"Ah, I see, my good man. You would prefer to have me approach you as a one trick pony, Jethro. Actually, that suits me today. I do feel it prudent to point out, though, that despite your forbidding them to check on you, I would wager your team will slip over here to nurse you."

No argument followed that pronouncement.

Ducky reached over Jethro, unfolded the well worn cotton throw at the end of the sofa, and covered his friend before letting himself out of the house.

**Leroy Jethro Gibbs slipped into dreamland.**

All four children watched him intently for the signal that they could bless the food and eating supper could commence. Leroy Jethro Gibbs, also known as Agent Gibbs, Jethro, the Gunny, Daddy, or Dad, took a panoramic view of his children and smiled at their clean faces.

Nodding, he motioned to Tim to say grace for the family. The child had reminded him three times right before the meal that it was his turn to do so.

Shy and normally quite a bit withdrawn, nevertheless eight year old Tim happily recited the family standard aloud for his father and siblings.

Gibbs nodded his approval at the conclusion, and Tim beamed back in response before carefully tucking his napkin into his lap.

Jethro privately worried about his young son, who did not naturally share the gregarious social skills of his siblings. Further, he approached new situations nervously, and tended to concern himself with solitary activities. An introvert, his intellectual capability led him to immerse himself in a subject when it interested him, and he enjoyed the minutiae which thoroughly mastering a topic demanded. Blond and sturdy, he insisted that he wanted to grow up to become an inventor like Thomas Edison, about whom he had perused several biographies.

Beside Timothy sat Kate, regal and poised even at the age of nine. Quite sure of herself, she enjoyed any opportunity to boss her brothers and sister and tended to speak bluntly. Her dark hair framed a delicate face, and lately she styled it differently each day, beginning to copy styles she discovered while out in outings around D.C. An innate investigator, she liked to delve to the origin of any topic or conversation, and had developed an analytical nature that her father privately thought would lead her into a legal career.

Little Abby sat on Tim's other side. At seven and the baby of the family, she often got into trouble for borrowing belongings from her siblings without permission. She possessed a tremendous curiosity not only about her own life, but about every one else's as well. She stayed abreast of the comings and goings of all her family members and acted as both the family cheerleader and the family conscience. Abby informed anyone who would listen that she wanted to grow up and work as an agent like her daddy did, and actually had a knack of working puzzles and solving problems which required advanced logic. Her hair had turned from blond to brunette as she grew, and her green eyes accentuated her expressive face. A cuddly little girl, she had no problem bestowing affection to her family members.

Last, Gibbs focused upon his oldest child, ten year old Tony, and could not help but smile when Tony grinned at him and winked. With shimmery green eyes and brown hair streaked with dark blond, the boy turned heads even as a child. Tony stayed besieged with little girls requesting his attention, but so far, he just took their pleas in stride. Jethro recognized his son would always attract females without trying. A boy's boy with innate athletic prowess, he involved himself in every sport he could play, and worked well with others or in teams.

"Daddy, what does one tricked pony mean?" Abby took a swallow of milk, licked the excess from her lips, and waited expectantly for an answer.

Gibbs finished chewing his bite of chicken before he replied. "Where did you hear that expression, Honey?"

He motioned to Kate to move the bowl of wild rice away from the edge of the table.

"You mean trick, Abby, not tricked," Tim added helpfully, carefully buttering his roll as he corrected his little sister.

That annoyed her instead of pleased her. "Be quiet Timmy and let me talk only to Daddy!" Sliding from the chair Abby skirted the table and climbed into Jethro's lap.

"You are much too big to sit in Daddy's lap at the table, Abby," observed Kate, the family's expert upon issues of propriety. "When are you going to quit acting like such a baby all the time?"

Scowling, Abby perched on one of her father's legs and stuck her tongue out at her sister. Jethro wrapped his left arm around her waist to secure her, and then took advantage of the opportunity to pop a forkful of green peas into her mouth.

Leaning against his strong chest, she chewed thoughtfully, twirling one of her pigtails with her left hand.

Winking with delighted anticipation at Abby, Tony turned to Kate to provoke her and retaliate for his little sister. "Katie, really, you know very well you act like the biggest baby of all of us. You start crying if Dad even tries to cut off your nightlight and you know it."

Popping a spoonful of rice in his mouth, he plastered a thoughtful expression on his face.

"I sleep all in the dark now," Tim announced, grinning, and thrilled that he could outshine his older sister in this situation. For added emphasis he patted himself on his chest.

As Tony had planned, the comments elicited an outraged reply from Kate, followed by another observation from Tony, and just like that, a full out squabble rocked the Gibblet world with four upset and determined voices trying to outdo each other.

Setting Abby on the floor beside his chair Jethro Gibbs stood up and held up his hand. Suspicious of his intentions, the kids looked first in confusion, then conspiratorially from each other to him.

Closer inspection confirmed that the meal might just possibly end with a couple of someones getting pulled across their father's knees for a spanking.

No one wanted that.

Within seconds silence resonated, followed closely by the sounds of forks hitting plates and milk being drunk.

Jethro led Abby back to her seat and set her in her chair before pouring himself a cup of coffee and returning to his own place.

Slipping his napkin back onto his lap he raised his eyebrows and resumed the conversation. "The expression is one trick pony, not one tricked, Abby. Where did you hear that phrase?"

She smiled, showing the gap from her missing upper tooth. "_Sesame Street_, 'cause Oscar the Grouch told Cookie Monster he just was a one tricked pony about cookies!"


	2. In Matters of Entertainment

In Matters of Entertainment

Leaning over, Jethro placed his own sure hands over his youngest son's uncertain ones, helping to cut Tim's chicken into smaller bites.

Jethro clarified, "Well, it means that the person only knows how to do one thing and nothing else. So what Oscar meant was that Cookie Monster knows nothing about pudding or salad or any other food, just cookies."

Kate consulted her baby sister. "Remember when we attended Brittani's birthday party a couple of weeks ago? When we played outside in the yard her cousin Courtney only knew how to play red rover but nothing else. We all have learned lots of games like freeze tag and red light but Courtney just knew that one trick."

"Do I have to eat all these peas" Tony appealed to his father, "or can I give some to Timmy since he loves them? You put too many on my plate." He regarded his spoonful of the little green vegetables in question with suspicion.

"Who said I loved them?" demanded the younger child, showing some spunk in his own self defense. "I just tolerate them."

"I like that word," Gibbs smiled with pride at Tim. "Who taught it to you?"

"Ducky did, Daddy," came the immediate response. "He says sometimes my tummy experiences problems tolerating dairy."

Kate and Tony burst out laughing at their brother's explanation but a firm shake of their father's head swiftly silenced them.

Meeting Tony's eye, Kate blew her breath upwards, fanning her bangs as a show of solidarity. He winked.

Rarely did the good Doctor Ducky Mallard visit the family without imparting some tidbits of pedagogical data in his wake.

Abby's spoon clattered onto the floor and climbed down to retrieve it.

Tony took advantage of her interruption to slide half of his unwelcome peas onto his brother's plate.

Tim opened his mouth to protest but choked on his swallow of milk instead, and Kate patted him on the back until the resultant coughing finally stopped.

Gibbs focused then on his youngest son, noting that Tim's blond hair lay perfectly in place. A shy, socially awkward child, he thrived upon routine and structure in his personal life- his hair, for example. Tim took his father's instructions to look presentable seriously, and kept a small comb in the pocket of his pants because his father kept one in his own pocket. Rarely did his parent need to instruct him to tuck his shirt, wash his face, or change into clean clothes. Tim's inner security revolved around obeying all of the rules and maintaining routines.

A couple of years before Victoria Mallard had pressured Jethro to arrange a family picture at a reputable photography studio in D.C., insisting that he would regret for the rest of his life not having a formal portrait created of the children.

She finally wore down his numerous objections and he agreed that he would carry through with the portrait only if she took the children shopping for outfits ahead of time. Handing her a blank personal check, he spent the shopping day catching up on the household chores and errands while she escorted his four to a nearby mall.

The day of the studio appointment, it took a good chunk of the morning to round up all four and supervise their dressing up in their newly purchased outfits. However, when they finally lined up in the foyer for a last minute check he could not keep the pride out of his expression.

The extra effort had been worth it.

Though all boy and not averse to coming home from school or play covered in mud or dirt, Tony possessed a debonair streak which surfaced on occasion. When his father spotted him leaning against the car, his breath caught. Already extremely handsome, his son's apparel spoke volumes about Tony's personal taste and eye for fashion. He had refused to settle for less than a three piece suit to wear for the event, and had matched the light beige pants, vest, and jacket with a jade colored tie and light green shirt. The combination suited him, all right, making his long lashed green eyes sparkle.

Not as fashion savvy as his brother, Tim still managed to choose his clothing well and relied upon his conservative nature. His suit, a navy blue, did not boast a vest like his brother's, but he had chosen a blue and white striped dress shirt and navy blue tie to complete the ensemble. His hair, still damp in places where he had used water to guarantee it would lie flat, had been carefully combed and styled.

His frilly little girl, Abby, twirled in circles the entire perimeter of the car while she waited for her dad to appear. Her forest green smock dress had grabbed her fancy because of the multi colored polka dot clown appliquéd on the left side. The same polka dots repeated on the Peter Pan collar and at her wrists. Black patent leather Mary Janes and white tights completed her ensemble.

The more sedate and no nonsense Kate's light blue dress followed a clean, crisp princess line, accentuating the child's petite frame and fragile features. A mandarin collar and gathered cuffs provided the only embellishments to the outfit, a wise choice because of the class mirrored in its simplicity. Even her white tights and black ballerina flats provided a minimum of decoration. Still, she shone.

Gibbs sucked in a breath and whistled as he regarded his children. He could not deny that they were standouts.

Clapping for attention, he directed them to hurry and scramble into the car so that they would not arrive late for the appointment.

"Do we look good, Daddy?" Kate inquired, daintily smoothing her dress as he cranked the car.

Backing out of the drive, he winked at her and then grinned. "You will do. All of you will do."

"That means we look very pretty," Abby translated, patting Tim reassuringly on his arm.

The trip to the photographer took less than an hour in Washington's traffic, but by the time Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs arrived, Tony, Kate, Tim, and Abby had transformed themselves. An argument had ensued over the coveted window seats before they had travelled a block, Tim accused Abby of kicking him, and Kate and Tony pinched each other mercilessly. Thus, the nicely dressed progeny who had begun the journey failed to exist once he parked the car and looked them over again.

Jethro hit the roof when he witnessed their state of disarray once they piled out of the car, and did not attempt to hide his irritation. Ordering all four into the restrooms, he threatened that if they did not come out looking the way they had at the house, they could kiss their television goodbye for the next month.

With such high stakes, they banded together, came to the aid of each other, and managed to recreate themselves to their father's satisfaction.

During the session Gibbs stationed himself against a back wall to watch.

The photographer could not resist telling Jethro numerous times during the shoot that his children should work in modeling.

He photographed the children in a variety of poses and settings, with their full cooperation. The four had no intention of further antagonizing their dad.

Despite the initial upset, the trip proved an incredible success.

Victoria Mallard's advice had been sound. Those precious moments in time would stand to illustrate four young lives frozen in time.

Though all the shots came out well, Gibbs loved two of the many views the best.

After that trip, one large framed portrait hung in a place of honor over the fireplace mantle. In it the girls sat like little ladies in two bistro chairs, while Tim leaned casually against Kate's chair back and Tony propped against Abby's. Tony had insisted on removing his jacket and holding it by the tip of his finger, while Kate crossed her legs so that she could drape her pink polished fingernails daintily over her knee.

The second view he chose for his wallet. All four children laughed out loud in that one while posing on a staircase. Tony sat on the top step, Kate on the step below, Tim on the next, and then Abby after Tim. The photographer had guaranteed the happy response by reeling off one black and white and red all over joke after another for his young models.

Suddenly Gibbs realized he had been lost in thought for quite some time. He shook his head to return to supper plates and glasses of milk.

He returned to reality and to the current topic at hand.

"So who else can give an example of a one trick pony besides Cookie Monster?" Gibbs encouraged, pleased that the dinnertime conversation had gravitated to something educational.

"Well, what about Charlie Chaplin? I think he would qualify." Tony ventured.

"Charlie who?" Kate responded, primly patting the corners of her mouth with her napkin. "Does he go to our school?"

Abby slid out of her chair again and rounded the table to her father. Holding out her right pinky finger she frowned. "Kiss it, Daddy. It got hit on the side of the table."

Complying, he added a kiss to her cheek and gestured for her to return to her seat and supper.

"No," Tony shook his head decisively. "Chaplin started as an actor way at the beginning when movies had just begun. He always dressed as a tramp in his act and that made him famous. It was like his signature."


	3. In Matters of Teamwork

In Matters of Teamwork

"So he is a one trick pony because he stayed a tramp," Tim confirmed, pleased that he had made the connection.

"Good choice, Son," Gibbs nodded at Tony. "Actually, though, we could call Charlie Chaplin a one trick pony also because he only acted in silent films, and never in talkies. When the studios figured out how to add sound to movies, some of those earliest stars could not make that transition. They just stayed in the silent movies, which the public stopped watching. Audiences wanted to hear their actors talk as well as act."

Conversation continued intermittently until the last bites left the plates empty. At Jethro's signal the four cleared the table and began their kitchen chores.

Supervising from the sink he as he rinsed a bowl, Jethro pointed at Tim. "Hey, I believe I see your name on the roster for today as the one who should load the dishwasher. However, your body is across the room while your little sister deals with it. Why is that?"

Chastened, Tim nevertheless scowled and responded with a whine. "Daddy, let her do that. I want to wipe off the counters instead."

Rarely did Tim stray from his assigned duties, and he evidently felt cheated that his blatant attempt tonight had found itself circumvented and questioned.

"Nope, Timmy Boy," Tony contradicted, "no one trick pony tricks tonight for you. You have to learn to do something besides slosh water over the cabinets."

"Daddy, tell Tony not to tell me what to do!" Tim defended himself, voice shaking with emotion.

"Then quit putting your work off on Abby," ordered Kate, jumping into the conversation. "You always act like you can not figure out the simplest things so you can get out of work. Quit pretending you are a baby."

His pride wounded and his big boy status at stake, Tim fought back tears as he countered loudly, "No one even asked you, Katie!" With that observation his anger punctuated his response and he slung the sodden sponge straight at her, nodding with satisfaction as it slapped across her cheek.

With that dramatic comeback, chaos once again consumed the little family and only the presence of their father prevented their coming to blows. With one hand gripped around Kate's arm to stop her from physically charging her brother he demanded silence, then sternly ordered Tim upstairs to his room.

Sobbing his way to the stairs, Timmy attempted to assure his father that he would apologize and that he wanted to stay downstairs with them. It did not work, and he began climbing as slowly as possible until Tony called out a warning that stalling would lead to worse trouble.

He finished the unwelcome journey in near hysteria.

With his temper challenged and strained, Gibbs threatened the other three that their television viewing would suffer that evening if he did not witness a complete attitude change.

None of his kids doubted he would convert his threat to action.

They took his advice, cut off all semblances of bickering, and ten minutes later the kitchen gleamed and he sat alone at the table with a much anticipated and welcome cup of coffee.

He could hear the kids laughing at the program they had decided to watch. Though he did actively monitor what they viewed and the time spent in front of the set, on evenings like this, he welcomed the television's babysitting capacity.

He banished the feelings of guilt, telling himself he deserved the peace the television won him for the next hour.

Gibbs massaged his temples and took a speculative look around the kitchen. The table and chairs showed signs of wear and tear, the linoleum needed replacing, and the imprint from four active children surrounded him.

The entire underside of the cabinet by the sink had served as Abby's palette one morning when his focus on stockpiling clean clothes had taken him to the laundry room. She had colored all of the wood with a rainbow of markers in his absence, a feat managed by lying flat on her back.

He might not have even discovered her artwork had Kate not tattled later that day.

Speaking of Kate, she decided to cover the pantry door with stickers of kittens and flowers while he spoke to his father on the phone one evening a few years before. Though he had tried over the years to pull and scrape them off of the wood, they left sticky residues and torn strips behind. An NCIS acquaintance had helpfully advised heating them with a blow dryer to melt the glue, but that particular appliance had suffered a horrible death months earlier.

Tony claimed Tim broke it by pretending to shoot it as a laser gun, while Tim contradicted that accusation and insisted his older brother smashed it pretending he was Dirty Harry. Talented at forcing confessions from uncooperative suspects, Jethro nevertheless failed to pinpoint the true dryer culprit, so had both boys share the blame.

Kate slid into the kitchen like a gymnast, interrupting his sad appraisal of the room. "Daddy, can we stay up late tonight 'cause Tony found a movie for us?" Racing to him, she put both small hands on his legs and patted them excitedly.

Smiling at her, he scooped her into his arms as he rose. "Let me see the television schedule before I answer that, Honey."

Carrying her into the living room he found Abby snuggled into Tony on the sofa, half on his lap. His eldest kept one arm protectively around his little sister as he watched the screen, but got to his feet when he saw his father.

"Hey, Daddy, I think that…."

Setting Kate on the couch beside her sister Gibbs interrupted, "That is what I am checking now, Son, whether you can watch the movie."

Tony glanced at the tv, then back at his father. "All right, Dad, but no, I wanted to say could I go check on Timmy?"

"Check why?" his puzzled father asked.

"Sometimes he keeps crying and crying when he gets sent to his room. He has already been up there a long time now." His oldest son met his gaze and Gibbs could read genuine concern in the words.

Abby stood up on the sofa and leaned over the back to elaborate. "Tim is all the time a crybaby when he gets a spanking."

"So are you," Kate observed at once. "You cry louder than anyone."

That did not offend her little sister, who scratched her leg and agreed, "See? That is just exactly what I mean."

"I have not spanked your brother. In fact, I have not even gone upstairs yet to see Tim," Jethro enlightened the group.

"Can I get him down here then?" Tony continued to request permission.

Abby climbed onto the sofa back. "Do you want to spank him though, Daddy?"

"Get off of the sofa like that right now," ordered her father instead. She complied by flipping herself onto the cushions and he moved to grab the program guide from the table before answering. "No, Tim still has some time left in his room, Tony, and Abby, I think you know that when you throw something at your brother or sister you will get into big trouble."

That effectively silenced them on the subject of Tim.

Watching as Jethro read the movie's blurb and reviews, they regrouped and waited expectantly for his decision.

Kate motioned the other two to stay quiet by tapping her forefinger against her lips.

He did not disappoint them. "The movie looks okay, this _Born Free_ about the lions. The problem I see for you has to do with the time, though. It runs from eight until eleven, way, way past all four bedtimes."

"Please, Dad," begged Kate, throwing her arms around his waist. "Let us see the show!"

Abby joined her, but tugged on his arm instead, "Please, please, please, please!"

Savvy to his dad's line of reasoning, Tony added the practical prong of the plea, "No school tomorrow, Dad, remember that today is Friday so late bedtimes will not hurt us."

"I love you, Daddy," Abby beamed at father before bestowing a series of kisses onto his hands.

"We will just break the bedtime rule just this one time," Kate offered, leaning her head against his stomach and wrapping her arms around his waist.

Jethro could not restrain himself from bursting into laughter. His progeny had strategically ganged up on him to increase their chance of success. Looking into their hopeful faces he caved, but not without insisting upon a caveat. "Ok, but this time only…"

The girls shrieked and hugged each other.

"….and only if everyone has bathed and gotten into pajamas by the time it starts."

They nodded vigorously and he checked the clock. "That means you have forty five minutes to take care of business before the opening credits."


	4. In Matters of Family Bonds

In Matters of Family Bonds

"Go Abby, hurry," her brother ordered her, and without even a backward glance she raced to the stairs. Tony called out an additional warning should she not understand the importance of speed, "Remember that you can not play in the tub tonight because we all have to get in and get out quickly."

"Aye aye!" she called, tiny body racing up the steps and little pigtails swinging.

They watched her disappear from view.

Bathtime and bedtime always began with the youngest and worked its way to the oldest in the Gunny's household. That routine procedure spared Gibbs untold conflicts, and regularly he congratulated himself upon implementing it years before.

His oldest walked around the coffee table to him, took Jethro's left arm, and wrapped it around his own small shoulders. "Dad, Tim can watch the movie too, right?"

Gibbs tilted his child's head and gently squeezed Tony closer to him. "Just why are you so concerned about him tonight, Son?"

Tony met his gaze and responded simply, "He is my brother, Daddy."

The corners of his eyes crinkled as Gibbs smiled at Tony and brushed back the boy's bangs. "That makes me happy, especially since you two argue so much these days. Anyway, I will go up and deal with him now, ok?"

Nodding, Tony watched him go, and Gibbs followed his daughter upstairs. He heard her singing enthusiastically in the bathroom as the water filled the tub, but suddenly the door flew open and she ran straight into her father. He grabbed her before she fell, and cautioned, "Make sure you pick up all of your clothes and get them into the hamper, ok?"

She grinned, then spun in circles towards her room. Stopping abruptly, she pointed behind her. "You need to unbutton my dress, Daddy, 'cause I can not pull it over me."

He took advantage of the opportunity and kissed the top of her head as he got her unbuttoned.

Gibbs paused at the doorway of the room his boys shared and studied Tim. The child sat at the desk with his chin propped on his arms, his faced pinched and miserable. Evidently he had spent his time worrying over what would happen next, because when Gibbs left the entrance and stepped into the room so that Tim saw him, he burst into tears.

Jethro perched on the end of Tony's bed and motioned to the child to come to him.

Bottom lip wobbling and still crying, the eight year old slid from his seat and regarded his dad with uncertainty.

Gibbs cocked an eyebrow and despite his empathy for his son, he kept his face stern and voice firm. "Do you have something to share with me, young man?"

The little boy nodded, and he wiped his eyes with the bottom of his palms. "Yes, Daddy," he agreed, then closed his mouth and sniffed.

"So…." Gibbs prodded after several seconds.

"That," Tim rubbed his eyes again, "that I should not hit Kate or throw when I get mad because if I do it will make me a one trip pony because I could have just told her to stop." He licked his lips. "I do not want to be a one trip pony, and I do not want a spanking, Daddy!"

Restraining himself from smiling at the pony analogy, Jethro leaned down and raised Tim's chin. "You never solve problems the way you decided tonight, and I have told you more than once that boys do not hurt girls. Now, by my calculations you have stayed in your room a half hour for misbehaving downstairs."

Tim hastened to assure his father that he would not consider such a response in the future, and advised him that he thought a spanking unnecessary. He rubbed his eyes on his sleeve again.

His father pulled a tissue out of the box on the nightstand. Holding it over his son's nose he ordered, "Blow."

Tim obeyed, and his father deposited the tissue into the trashcan.

Regarding his son's tears, Gibbs nodded thoughtfully, then kissed the top of the blond head. "All right, my little man, you have escaped a painful encounter across my knees tonight, but if I have to revisit this topic with you I will spank."

Ecstatic at the unexpected reprieve, Tim threw his arms around his father's neck and pressed his forehead against Jethro's collarbone before tilting his head back and kissing his dad's chin.

Jethro pulled the little body to him and held him, then stood and set him down. "Now, Abby should have finished her bath by now, so hurry and go take yours. Your brother and sisters plan to watch a movie tonight and they want you to join them."

Wiggling the rest of his way free from his dad's hold Tim raced from the room, got to the hall, doubled back, and threw his arms around his father's legs. "Thank you for not spanking me and letting me see the movie, Daddy."

Then he ran to the bathroom door and knocked urgently, announcing to Abby that he needed to take his own bath.

The door opened at once and she informed him that she had already finished before she hurried to join the others downstairs.

Gibbs crossed to the dresser and pulled out Star Trek pajamas for Tim, who had forgotten to take some with him, then delivered them to the bathroom before jogging downstairs.

When Kate saw him she skipped to the steps and passed him on her way upstairs.

Gibbs reached out to interrupt her, and rubbed her hair as she attempted to pass. "Why the rush, Honey?"

"I have to take my bath now so Tony has time to take his before the movie. I think the clock is tick tocking fast."

"Tim just got in there, though," Gibbs pointed out. "He needs time to at least get some soap on him."

Kate frowned and threw up her hands dramatically. "Daddy, please, you know how long he takes in the bath because he always has to do things the exact same way each time. He gets out the soap. Then he finds his washcloth…"

"Why does that bother you?" Gibbs snapped, regarding her with raised eyebrows.

"He will take all night long! You know he is a one trick pony, and you need to make him hurry so I get my turn. You, Daddy, he never listens to me," she explained petulantly.

Jethro tapped her nose. "That, Miss Priss, does not make him a one trick pony. Remember, that definition counts as someone only capable of one talent. Let me assure you that your brother has several."

"Ok, Daddy," she wheedled, "but please get him?"

He capitulated with a shake of his head. "Ok, go find your night things and I will deal with your brother."

A little over ten minutes later Kate hurried to the landing and leaned down, calling for Tony to come take his turn. He practically flew up the steps, concerned that the movie would begin without him present.

Jethro reminded him once again to not run in the house, but secretly sympathized with the boy's haste.

Abby, angelic in her favorite long white nightgown with tiny butterflies around the hem and cuffs, spun into the laundry room with a series of fluttering circles.

Jethro stood at the much abused and exhausted family washing machine.

Noting his rapt expression, and the fact that he held one of Tony's pairs of jeans in his left hand and a container of spray for stains in his right, she giggled. "I think Tony tries to be a one trick pony 'cause all he knows how to do is get dirty!"

Jethro grinned at the little cherub. "You think so?"

Instead of replying, she climbed onto the folding table and over the neat stacks of clean clothes before stepping onto the dryer. "Will you make popcorn and cocoa for us?"

"No, sorry, that requires a capable helper and I am shorthanded at the moment."

"Here I am, Daddy," she assured him, holding out her arms for him to take her. "Let me help you in the kitchen. Piggyback, though, take me to the kitchen piggyback, please."

Gibbs shifted the tiny body and kissed both her hands when they slid around his neck. "Lower, Abbs, or you will strangle me and then no one will have treats tonight."

Transferring her to the counter once they got to the kitchen he patted her on the bottom and directed, "Get down the popcorn bowl, and the big tray Mrs. Mallard gave us Christmas. Wait- plus four mugs, we need those for the hot chocolate."

He busied himself efficiently pulling out the cocoa and sugar from the pantry, then milk and butter from the refrigerator.

Hearing the activity in the kitchen, Tim joined them, and Jethro sent him to the pantry for the popcorn.

Five minutes later he assisted Tim in pouring cocoa into the cups while Abby loaded the popcorn bowl, helping herself to some of the buttery goodness as she did so. Jethro grabbed a fistful of napkins and they wound through the kitchen and hall to the living room, where they discovered Kate had cleared the coffee table for the dishes.


	5. In Matters of Instruction

In Matters of Instruction

Jethro called to Tony and was rewarded with a muffled response, then the pounding of feet on the stairs. Hearing her brother approach Kate raced to the hall just as Tony skipped the last four steps and vaulted to the bottom floor. Realizing that in his present course he would land right on his sister, he yelled a warning and grabbed the newel post to spare her, skidding to a painful landing on the floor.

Tim and Abby charged from the living room to witness the spectacle, but Gibbs followed them at a decent pace. Having the experience of rearing his four children, plus ten years of Tony's daredevil personality, he no longer panicked at blood or bodily injuries.

Helping his son to his feet he automatically scrutinized him. Tony's face made him realize that the child had suffered some damage.

Standing him up squarely in front of him he asked appraisingly, "What hurts the most?"

"My butt," Tony responded immediately, "and my right arm."

"This is why Daddy said for us not to run in the house," Tim offered helpfully, shaking his head at his brother's predicament.

A testament to Tony's discomfort lay in the fact that he did not bother to respond at all to his brother's unsolicited comment.

Jethro turned him sideways. "Let me see what you did, ok?"

"No, Dad," Tony contradicted in a panicked voice. "No one needs to see all of my handsome body parts."

"You just do not want us to see your butt," Kate established, jumping right to the heart of the matter.

Tony frowned at her, then tugged on his father's arm and whispered, "Please, Dad."

"The rest of you get back in that living room," Gibbs ordered. He waited until they turned to leave before he directed Tony, "Ok, Son, now show me where it hurts."

The others, however, had paused in their movements a few feet away.

"Babies get born naked," Tim supplied, pleased that he had that fact available for the occasion.

Kate started giggling. "Ooooh, yuck! All the doctors and nurses saw us naked when we were born!"

"Daddy has seen you naked," Abby added over her shoulder. "Anyway, he sees our behinds if we get spanked."

"Go-" their father halted the conversation, his voice stern, "before I do spank some rear ends."

When the coast was clear moments later he deftly looked over Tony's wounds. "Well, the bad news is you have one nasty scrape on your arm and another on your thigh- not your bottom, but your thigh. I would be remiss if I did not point out, Son, that I have told you hundreds of times not to run in this house. This shows you why I have warned all of you."

Tony nodded his head contritely.

Gibbs sighed, completely certain that this would not be the last injury incurred from running within the household. "Ok, Son, come with me upstairs so that I can put some salve on you, and that should help stop some of the sting from the scrapes."

Tony looked crushed. "But will I miss the movie? I really want to see all of it, Dad, and the story really happened."

"No, son, because your Daddy is a twenty one trick pony, not a one trick pony, and I can get you up there, bandage you, and get you back down in two minutes. My talents span a wide range of aptitudes you have no idea exist!"

With that, he hurried up the stairs with Tony closely behind him, and they descended a couple of minutes later, true to Jethro's word.

Tony slid gratefully onto the sofa and checked both the mantle clock and the current images on the screen. "Thanks, Dad, this is the commercial and I did not miss the movie at all."

Tim passed his brother a mug of cocoa and he helped himself to a handful of popcorn from the huge bowl Kate held in her lap.

His duties temporarily finished, Gibbs turned to leave. Four voices immediately begged him to stay. He stood at the doorway debating the insistent call of laundry and assorted chores which demanded his attention versus four hopeful faces pleading for his company.

With a wink he plopped down in the recliner and made a show of settling himself. Grinning, Tony climbed over his siblings and onto the arm of his father's chair before sliding into his dad's lap. Gibbs kissed the top of his head and rubbed his son's back softly, reminding himself that Tony would not allow open displays of affection too much longer.

Abby inched to the top of the couch and dropped to the floor before hurrying to her father. She straddled the arm of the chair so that she could lean back against her dad with one leg on his lap and the other leg dangling.

They stayed that way for half of the movie, until Gibbs finally got up, collected the dishes, and took them in the kitchen to load in the dishwasher.

When he returned Abby and Tony had rejoined Tim and Kate on the couch, so he closed his eyes and listened to the audio of the movie as he settled back into the welcome comfort of the recliner.

His back ached.

He woke up with a start, confused to wake up away from his bedroom. Forcing the chair to an upright position he saw from the clock that midnight beckoned.

His children slept soundly on the sofa, all four resembling a litter of puppies. Abby lay halfway on top of Timmy, who mostly reclined against Kate. Katie slept sideways, almost completely covering Tony, who lay flat on his back with his right arm and leg dangling off the edge of the cushions.

Like dominoes, they had all made sure they stayed physically connected to at least one sibling as they slept.

Stretching, Gibbs yawned widely before heading softly up the stairs. His knees protested at the return of movement and he used the banister for some support. Upstairs he turned the covers down four different times in four separate beds before returning to the living room.

One by one he carried them upstairs and tucked them in, murmuring softly to each and kissing them gently. Only Kate stirred enough to open her eyes, but she closed them again within seconds.

Gibbs stood in the hall between the bedrooms and massaged his lower back as he paused to watch them sleep. Kate and Tony definitely had grown in the past months, and carrying them now demanded some exertion on his part.

He studied the room the boys shared, with décor that reflected both Tony's passion of sports and Tim's love of outer space.

In contrast, the girls had lined their dolls against one wall. Abby's fondness for music and animals resulted in the inclusion of stuffed toys, a radio, and pictures in the bedroom while Kate's sketch book and art supplies dominated an entire bookcase.

The battered rocking horse all four kids had ridden as toddlers had found a home in the corner near the window.

Gibbs smiled to himself at the sight of the pony and pointed towards its now shaggy mane. "You, Mister Rocking Horse, despite amusing all four of my kids, are at heart a one trick pony put out to pasture!"

Turning off the hall light he crawled gratefully into his own bed, stretching out to soothe his protesting muscles.

**A crash penetrated his dreamstate and his eyes flew open.**

"Sorry, Gibbs," Kate whispered, leaning towards him and the sofa. "I hit the side of the coffee table and knocked over that book. Let me just put it back where it goes."

Abby's voice called out from the kitchen, "That must be a strong painkiller if that racket failed to rouse him. Did Ducky say how long that medicine would make him sleep, Kate?"

Gibbs looked appraisingly around him to sort out his circumstances.

Evidently he had succumbed to Dr. Mallard's pain medication and slept for some time.

He glanced out the window and saw that dusk was falling, so he had slept through the entire afternoon.

Obviously, his team had disregarded his instructions and come to check on him.

He massaged his temples and croaked, "Awake, Abby, I woke up." Along with knocking him out and dulling the pain, Ducky's medicine had left his mouth dry.

Coffee would take care of that.

The goth appeared in the doorway. "We are making dinner, Gibbs," she smiled brightly, "for all of us. We have soup and sandwiches and some kind of yummy dessert, so stay right there until we finish getting the meal ready."

The front door opened with her directive and he heard Tony and Tim's voices as they entered the foyer. Tony carried a loaf of Italian bread in one hand and what appeared to be a pecan pie in the other, while the bag Tim held had packages of cheese and sandwich meat peeking from the top.

Greeting their boss, they followed Kate's instructions and set the supper items on the counters before joining Jethro in the living room.

He sat up carefully, resting his head against the back of the couch as he regarded them.

"Does your head hurt, Boss?" Tony asked solicitously.

Tim sat down across from him. "Ducky said you might have a headache. Do you, Boss?"

"No," Gibbs licked his lips, then rubbed his chin. "I feel fine now."

Wide eyed, Tony abruptly stood. "I forgot the ice cream in the trunk. Let me just quickly run get it before it melts on everything."

Gibbs raised a hand and raised his voice, "Absolutely do not run in the house, Tony, understand?"

Surprised, his agent nodded, "Ok, Boss, I can do something other than run. I will just hurry, instead, and get the ice cream."

Satisfied with that response, Jethro nodded, then turned to Tim. "Do you see why you should never just be just a one trick pony? You have a perfect example in front of you."

"Right, sure, Boss," Tim stammered, uncertain as to Jethro's point but willing to venture a guess. "No one trick ponies on your team- got it!"

"Something like that," Gibbs confirmed, grinning.


End file.
